First Attempts
by WereCub
Summary: Set at the start of the 5th book, Harry gets a suprise visit and some good news at last.  May contain swearing in later chapters, I own nothing .
1. Chapter 1

Harry Potter, a skinny boy with jet black hair and stark green eyes, once again found himself wandering the streets of Magnolia Crescent, frustrated after weeks without word from the wizarding world. As he flopped heavily onto a swing he thought about his 'friends' who had barely written this summer, what messages he got were short and vague, not nearly enough to satisfy his longing for information. He felt them slipping away from him, only intensifying the sinking feeling that he was alone once more if one didn't count his Aunt and Uncle – which Harry did not.

Many times he had wished to run, grab his things from their prison under the stairs, tuck Hedwig under his arm and leave Privet Drive forever. But he reasoned that these were just fantasies, where would he go? How far would he reasonably make it without using magic?

His back pulled and pain shot through him as he stood, the cupboard under the stairs had been barely large enough to accommodate him at eleven now, at fourteen and sharing with his large trunk, there wasn't even room for him to straighten his legs. Harry began making for the gate of the park, but before he reached it there was movement to his left. Reeling around Harry reached for his empty back pocket where his wand would normally sit, stomach dropping when he realised it was locked in his trunk along with the rest of his belongings. Preparing his aching body to run he turns to vault over the fence but is tackled and pinned to the floor by something warm and heavy before he can land. Harry reaches up to try and free himself; fingers tangling in matted fur, the weight on top of him was suffocating until he kicks out hard with his legs and finally rolls out from under the animal.

Before him sat a large black dog, who had given a whimper at his rough treatment before sitting back head cocked to one side. It took Harry seconds to recognise those grey eyes regarding him with a fatherly affection, leaping upon the animagus.

"What are you doing here Padfoot, if you get caught?" Harry buries his face in the long fur, clutching onto the dog who licks his ear affectionately and barks. The dog's shape ripples and changes under Harry's fingers and he soon finds himself tightly embraced against his Godfather's chest, finally drawing away he looks down Sirius' figure.

He was looking a lot healthier than last Harry saw off him, he no longer looked as gaunt as he once had and his clothes, although not fine, were not hanging in tatters from his body. "You haven't been reading the Prophet have you, pup?"

"No, my Aunt and Uncle… not fond of owls." Harry brushes over the subject, painfully thinking of Hedwig shut away in her cage, "why? What's happened? Not Voldemort." Harry's eyes widen and Sirius ruffles his hair.

"No kiddo, good news." Pulling a paper from the inside of his jacket and handing it to Harry, who unrolls it hesitantly, the picture on the front leapt out at him. A small rat like man cowering away from the dementors enclosing him – Harry didn't envy the photographer being that close.

_PETTIGREW FOUND, ALIVE_

The headline blazed across the top of the paper, and Harry felt his jaw go slack much to the amusement of his godfather , "but… but this means?" Harry chokes and Sirius lets out a joyful laugh.

"I'm FREE, a free man once more." Sirius grins at the teenager who is still staring in disbelief at the front page, and who knows how long he would have remained there if Sirius had not tugged it from his hands. "Are you following me kiddo, you know what this means?"

"You're… free?" Harry seemed a little in shock and Sirius gives his a light clip round the ear.

"For the chosen one, you're awfully slow tonight," he chuckles, "it means my offer from last year still stands… if you wanted to…" Sirius hesitates before finding himself back in a bone crushing hug surprised to find tears soaking into his neck. "Hey, pup, I know its good news but…" Sirius pulls back clumsily wiping tears from the younger one's face. "Should I know about anything?" Harry shakes his head forcing a grin to his lips and sniffling back further tears.

"Okay, how about we go get your things?" Sirius stands offering a hand to Harry, "I have a few choice words for the Dursleys as well." He growls under his breath as he leaves the park, a protective arm slung around Harry's shoulders.

Harry could do nothing but fret on the way home; there had been nothing on the muggle news about Sirius' freedom. How were the Dursleys going to react when Harry strolled in late and with a known killer in his wake? He wanted to bombard his Godfather with questions, but until they were both safely out of number four Privet Drive with his trunk in tow he didn't think he was capable of forming sentences. As they turn into the crescent Harry hears a faint popping sound and his eyes fly to the dark alley where he had first spotted Sirius in dog form the previous summer, but instead of the black shaggy dog, out of the shadows emerges an equally familiar scarred face.

"Moony, do you really not trust me?" Padfoot rolls his eyes as his old friend approaches clasping Harry's hand tight in his own. "Here to keep an eye on me…" Sirius mutters under his breath but Harry stills finds himself too preoccupied to take in the arrival of his old professor and with them behind him continues down the road towards 'home'.

"What's happened?" Moony murmurs under his breath to Sirius as they fall into step three paces behind Harry. Padfoot can only shrug, regarding the boy with a careful eye as he trudged head bent towards the white gate. Speeding to catch up with the teen they are right by his shoulders by the time they reach the front door and Lupin squeezes Harry's shoulder reassuringly.

"We're right here, cub." He murmurs softly and Harry nods briefly but gratefully in his direction.

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><p><em>My first attempt at HP fiction. Be gentle with me. Advice and Ideas always welcome. thank you x<em>


	2. Chapter 2

"_We're right here, cub." He murmurs softly and Harry nods briefly but gratefully in his direction. _

Harry could not keep the trembling from his hands as he reached for the door handle, fearing not only his uncle's fury but the reactions of his closest confidents. They had only seen him among wizards, the confident Harry that was so much like his father, what would they think of Harry's submission towards his guardians? Finally Harry pushes the door open stepping just inside and waiting for the inevitable –

"POTTER!"

The living room door had already slammed open and the purple face of Vernon Dursley loomed, his figure almost filled the whole hallway and Harry would have tried to back out the way he came if it weren't for the two figures at his back. "Cupboard now and if I hear one single sound out of –"

Vernon finally catches sight of the two figures flanking the teen, they were dressed in muggle clothing but their appearance was never going to earn the approval of Mr Dursley. His eyes flicker from Sirius' unkempt stubbled chin to the scars adorning Remus' face. If possible his face turned an even darker shade of purple and he seemed to shake with rage but the final straw came when he saw a flash of the wooden wand sticking out of Sirius' pocket. His roar must have carried down the entire street, but it was matched by that of Sirius.

"YOU LOCKED HIM IN A CUPBOARD! MY GODSON!" Padfoot leaps into action, wand outstretched and Dudley who had just looked around the corner squeals and disappears back into the kitchen.

"He deserves it, dirty little freak," Uncle Vernon mutters although doesn't move from where he was pinned against the wall, his eyes never leaving the wand tip pointing at him, "when I get my hands on you boy, you will learn the true meaning of respect." He finally drags his gaze from the wand to land on Harry who had stumbled back into Remus' chest. He would have whimpered were his jaw not clenched so tightly his teeth ached.

Tiny sparks fly out of the tip of Sirius' wand and whether intended or not Mr Dursley has to back up to escape them burning his cheek. "You will never hurt him again, never speak or even look upon my Godson," Sirius growls shoulders shaking with anger, "Harry, fetch your things. Now." Sirius doesn't turn, taking every effort he had not to scream all the hexes in the world at the monster before him.

Harry remains frozen, wide eyed and held up only by Lupin's steady hands on his shoulders. "Come on, cub, take me to your things." He says soothingly and Harry takes a few robotic steps forward sliding open the numerous locks on his cupboard before the door swings open. Lupin barely supresses a growl of his own, the space was barely enough for a house elf let alone a growing teenager. Not only that but a large trunk filled half of the space and a majority of the rest was taken up by a snowy owl, Hedwig, who cooed as light streamed into the room.

"Bloody owl –" Vernon mutters but is rapidly silenced by a glare from Sirius, Harry watches as Lupin lifts Hedwig's cage and with a flick of his wand Harry's trunk floats of its own accord onto the doorstep of number four. Harry leans into the cupboard and wraps his fingers around the small metal stag Sirius had sent to him at the beginning of the summer, before allowing himself to be led from the house.

"Pads, leave him," Lupin calls from the door, but a furious Sirius either didn't hear or chose to ignore his level headed friend. "Harry needs to go home, Sirius." Lupin tries once more and the mention of his Godson's name seems to pull Sirius back to reality and he lowers his wand taking a step closer to Mr Dursley.

"If you EVER threaten him again, you'll have me to answer to. You choose the wrong man to piss off Dursley." Sirius mutters darkly before turning on his heel and marching straight past Remus and Harry, who was tucked under his arm. In seconds he was disapperating and had vanished from the perfectly mown front lawn. Remus leads Harry down the path and away from the house, his trunk magically tailing them.

"He's mad," Harry says looking up at the werewolf professor who sighs a little nodding and taking a left out of the garden gate. "What did I do?" Harry questions and Remus stops turning the younger towards him, bending to meet his eye.

"By the Gods Harry, you've done nothing wrong." Remus lowers them both to sit upon the sign that proclaimed _privet drive. _"No, Sirius has always had a hot temper, he and Prongs were fiercely loyal and relished in the idea of a good fight should someone they love come to harm. James would have acted in exactly the same way..." Lupin tales off to ruffle Harry's already tousled hair. "I expect he is quite angry at himself for ever letting Dumbledore send you back here, for not keeping a closer eye on you, for not jinxing your uncle a thousand times over – but he is not upset with _you_."

Harry stays silent, scuffing his worn shoes against the pavement until Lupin gets to his feet once more, "have you apperated before?" He asks and Harry shakes his head, those green eyes widening once more in fear. "Nothing to be scared of just shut your eyes and hold on tight to me." Harry obediently gets to his feet and wraps his arms around Lupin's waist, it felt strange to be hugging his old professor but Remus tucks Hedwig's cage tight under his arm, holding onto Harry with the other. "Hold your breath, it helps." He says before Harry feels a powerful pull upwards and a tight squeezing sensation, as though he were being pulled through a straw before finally his feet hit ground hard and his aching bones protest loudly.

"Alright, I've got you." Lupin keeps a steady arm around Harry, holding him upright until he finds his footing once more, "very well done Harry, very few people land on their feet… your Godfather splinched himself the first time." Lupin whispers the last bit and finally a small smile adorns the teens face, satisfied for now he turns and guides Harry to the house behind him.

Harry wasn't sure what he expected, the burrow maybe? Certainly not this whitewashed house, brand new and enclosed in masses of fields and forests, no car or plane disturbed the silence of the night here. "The Black family have money, then the ministry's hefty sum for wrongful imprisonment – Sirius has been waiting for weeks to show you this place, Dumbledore however seemed somewhat reluctant." Lupin explains as they walk to the front door.

"How did he persuade him?" From what Harry knew of Dumbledore he rarely changed his mind and had a reason for every action. However in this case he was especially glad Sirius' charm had won out.

"Well, he didn't exactly –" Lupin stops his hand on the door when it opened from inside, Sirius in the doorway, a trademark smirk back on his face.

"Welcome home, pup." He grins, tugging Harry inside.

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><p><em>Thank you so much for all the kind feedback. I could hardly believe so many people enjoyed the first chapter. i'm not as happy with this one as the last, seemed a little OOC? but I hope you'll enjoy it all the same. Thanks for reading. x<em>


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N - I'm sorry it's been so long, I've been on Holiday recently and this is what I managed to piece together during that time, so my apologies also if it seems a little rushed or jumpy. Enjoy._

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><p>"<em>Well, he didn't exactly –" Lupin stops his hand on the door when it opened from inside, Sirius in the doorway, a trademark smirk back on his face. <em>

"_Welcome home, pup." He grins, tugging Harry inside._

Lupin never got the chance to finish his sentence, one of Sirius' often unpredictable mood swings seemed to have taken place as he half drags the rather timid Harry around every room of the house. Meanwhile Harry struggled to take it all in, the beam on his godfathers face however couldn't help but lift his spirits, he had never seen the older man happier.

Moony trails dutifully behind as Sirius ducks in and out of rooms barely lingering in those he considered _dull._ Remus took, instead, to watching Harry, who smiled and laughed at the right moments to keep his guardian sated but the laughs seemed forced and Harry looked more troubled than he had in his third year at Hogwarts.

"And this," Sirius said grandly as he came to stop at the final room in the house, the room which even Moony was excited to show Harry, "is your room." He finishes pushing the door open in a flurry and Harry warily steps inside.

The room was roughly the same size as Dudley's old bedroom but that was where the similarities ended. One wall was almost entirely taken up by a large window, overlooking the rolls of grass outside and the night sky. Taking a further step into the room Harry chuckles as he sees the Gryffindor banner above the bed, there was also a perch in the corner and the teen had no doubt Hedwig would adore her new found freedom.

"Hedwig!" Harry exclaims rushing past the adults and back into the kitchen where Hedwig's cage was sat on the table. Sirius comes skidding in after him and with a tap of his wand has the cage unlocked allowing Hedwig to escape her confines and flap her wings stiffly.

"Professor Can you take a look at her?" Harry turns to Lupin who was stood in the doorway, "she's been locked up a long time." Harry's eyes were full of concern as the old professor bends to examine the snowy owl.

"She will be fine, needs a taste of freedom." Lupin holds his arm out and Hedwig flutters onto it, allowing herself to be carried to the front door.

"She can fly around outside? Really?"

Sirius looks down at his Godson and ruffles his hair, wrapping an arm around him as Hedwig takes off into the night. "Things are going to get better Harry, trust me." Sirius drops a quick but affectionate kiss to the teen's forehead, "None of us will be locked up again." He whispers releasing Harry who was rapidly blinking back tears and the urge to hug his new found family tight to him.

"Food." Remus turns from the doorway and heads towards the kitchen, trying to give the impression of not eavesdropping on the pair's conversation. Within seconds he is preparing food, pots bubbling away over magical fire causing Harry's nostrils to flare as he takes in the delicious smell.

"Did you bring your school supplies list?" Sirius kicked back on his chair, a stool sliding of its own accord across the room to settle beneath his feet.

"I… er, no." Harry stumbles, "my uncle burnt any mail that arrived by owl." He murmurs, waiting for his godfather's fiery temper to kick in again, but after a hard look from Remus he seems to gain control of his anger and only shudders in displeasure.

"No matter, no doubt Dumbledore will send a new one here." Lupin leans over to place a steaming plate of food on the table, then with a flick of his wand a loaf of bread joins it and begins to slice itself evenly. "Tuck in Harry." Lupin smiles broadly while Sirius is already piling his plate up high, his appetite only rivalled by Ron Weasley.

Harry picks at his food, not wanting to seem ungrateful but his stomach was still jumping about in disbelief. This had all happened so quickly, his head was still spinning. "Something wrong, Harry?" Sirius looks up from his now empty plate a small frown tugging the corners of his mouth. Harry forces a smile and goes to reply but at that moment an owl pecks loudly at the kitchen window two letters clasped in its beak.

Harry flinches, an act which is not missed by either adult, before realising that uncle Vernon was not around to react. Sirius gets to his feet and answers the persistent knocking, the owl hopping onto the worktop and dropping the mail before him, Sirius tucks the one addressed to him in his waistcoat pocket before handing Harry his own. Harry takes the letter cautiously as though expecting it to be snatched away at any moment, his eyes widening when his fingers close around the creamy envelope. The two marauders share a troubled glance at Harry's actions but wait in silence as he tears it open.

"My Hogwarts letter," Harry says aloud, not glancing up from the long list he was scanning over, "there are so many books!" He exclaims flicking the paper over to find more listed on the back.

"OWL year," Remus smiles knowingly and Sirius lets out a bark of laughter.

"You're in for a _fun _year, pup."

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><p><em>Thank you for reading :) and once more for all your helpfulencouraging words. Hope you enjoyed x_


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